Golf practice mat



June 21, 1960 F. A. SMITH ETAL GOLF PRACTICE MAT Filed April 2, 1958 INVENTOR.

Frank A Smz'fh &Mo1u's1iZ01dan BY WM ATTORNEY.

Unitd tates 2,941,808 Patented June 21, 1960 nice GOLF PRACTICE MAT Filed Apr. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 725,969

3 Claims. 01. 273-187) This invention relates to a golf practice mat and more particularly to a device which may be used by a golfer to determine proper stance with respect to the golf ball and the desired direction of travel of the golf ball.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a lightweight flexible practice mat incorporating adjustable means for determining the position of the golfers feet.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a golf practice mat which may be used by right or left handed players.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a golf practice mat which may be inexpensively formed of resilient sheet material and the like.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a golf practice mat which will permit a golfer to determine the proper stance with respect to the desired direction of travel of the golf ball and to re-establish that proper stance at any time through the use of the device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a golf practice mat which may be easily and simply adjusted by a golfer.

The golf practice mat disclosed herein is primarily intended to permit a golfer to determine the correct stance with respect to the ball position and the desired direction in which the ball is to be driven.

By practicing with the mat disclosed herein a golfer can readily determine the proper positioning of his feet with respect to the ball in driving position and may at any time thereafter reset the device to again reproduce the proper stance and feet locations.

The device is capable of being formed of thin resilient sheet material such as synthetic rubber or plastic and is therefore light in weight and capable of being rolled up and carried in a golf bag.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the golf practice mat with broken lines illustrating the position of the ball, portion of a golf club and portions of the feet of a golfer.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the golf practice mat.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed elevation of a portion of Figure 2 as indicated by the line 33 thereon.

By referring to the drawing and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will be seen that the golf practice mat comprises a flat rectangular mat having a directional path 11 and arrow 12 positioned thereon together with a tee 13. The directional path 11 and arrow 12 extend partially across the mat 10 on the longitudinal center line thereof and then continue diagonally thereon at approximately 32 inclination with respect to the longitudinal center line of the mat.

The directional path 11 and arrow 12 are preferably molded or embossed in the surface of the mat 10 but may be painted or printed thereon as will occur to those skilled in the art.

A plurality of slots 14-14 are positioned in spaced parallel alignment with a longitudinal edge 15 of the mat 10, and a pair of rectangular secondary mats 16 and 17 are provided, each having an upturned, longitudinally extending, forward edge 18 and 19, respectively. Each of the secondary mats 16 and 17 has at least two slots 20 therein, one in the mat proper and one in the upturned flange.

A pair of connecting members 21 and 22 are positioned with their opposite ends through the slots 14 and 20, respectively, thereby securing the secondary mats 16 and 17 to the mat 10 in spaced relation thereto. The connecting members 21 and 22 are each provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, oppositely disposed, sidewardly extending portions 23-23, 2424, respectively.

The total width of the connecting members 21 and 22, respectively, including the sideward extensions 23 and 24 thereon, is greater than the total lengths of the slots 14 and 20 so that it is necessary to turn the connecting members 21 and 22 at an angle to the slots 14 and 20 when the connecting members 21 and 22 are inserted therethrough.

It will be seen that when the connecting members 21 and 22 have been engaged in the slots 14 and 20 and positioned in right angle relation thereto, as shown in the drawing, the sideward extensions 23 and/or 24 will overlie the ends of the slots 14 and 20 and thereby secure the device in assembly.

Figure 3 illustrates in enlarged detail a portion of the mat 10 and secondary mat 16 and the connecting member 21 positioned therebetween, and it will be observed that the flexibility of the connecting members 21 and 22 facilitates the adjustment of the connecting members with respect to the mats.

In Figure l of the drawing a broken line representation of a golf ball B is illustrated.on the tee 13 and broken line representations of the feet of the golfer are shown on the secondary mats 16 and 17. It will be observed that the mat 17 is spaced a greater distance from the mat 10 than the mat 16, and the spacing and positioning of the secondary mats 16 and 17 is such with respect to the tee 13 that the toes of the golfers shoes will engage the flanges 18 and 19 of the secondary mats 16 and 17.

The arrangement shown is typical of the stance of a right handed golfer. Those skilled in the art will observe that by reversing the position of the secondary mats 16 and 17 and turning the mat 10 upside down provides a similar arrangement for a left handed golfer. The mat is provided with the same directional path 11 and arrow 12 on the bottom side which is used by the left handed golfer when the mat is turned upside down.

The secondary mat 17 is of-greater width than the secondary mat 16 and the slots 20 therein provide means for identifying the desired position of the golfers right foot, or left foot when the mat is used as above described, with respect to the mat itself and thereby enabling the golfer to select the proper stance with respect to the direction of the drive to be made.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention have been met by the golf practice mat disclosed herein.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim 1s:

1. A golf practice device comprising a flat rectangular mat'having a directional" path and a directional arrow formed thereon and a tee located on said directional arrow, said mat having a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced slots inwardlyfrom one edge, a pair of foot guiding secondary-mats; eachof 'which'has an upturned flange along one edge 'and'each of which has at least one slot therein adjacent said'flanged edge'and a slot in said flanged edge, means for adjus'tably positioning and connecting said foot guiding secondary mats to said mat, said means comprising a pair of connecting members having their one ends engaged in said slots in said matand itheir other ends engaged in said slots in said secondary mats and acting to adjustably secure said 'secondary'rnats to said mat.

2. The golf practice device set forth in'claim l and wherein said connecting members have a plurality of longitudinally spaced, oppositely disposed, sideward extensions therealong, the over-all Width of which is greater than the length of said slots in said mats.

3. The golf practice mat set forth in claim 1 and wherein each of said secondary mats has a slot in the upturned flange and a slot in the mat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,642 Rolfe Apr. 30, 1957 

